A History of Candlemas at St Mary Magdalen’s

On the 2nd February 2009 it snowed heavily all day in Brighton. That evening with the streets silent with snow and most of the roads into the city inaccessible to cars, we held our first Missa Cantata in the Extraordinary Form in this chapter of the parish’s history. A handful of people braved the cold to make it to to Mass, including a small nervous choir of five barely able to sing the most basic of chants.

6790318923_e1316fdc4a_b

Seven years later and snow seems unlikely although given our misfortune at St Mary Magdalen’s with extreme weather situations and Missa Cantatas anything is possible. Mass will be at 7.30pm and thankfully these days the chant is less of a struggle. Many of the glorious chants of Candlemas including the divine Introit Suscepimus Deus and the Antiphon Lumen ad Revelationem gentium several of the choir could probably sing from memory and there will be several polyphonic additions to the music including Arcaldelt’s Hodie beata virgo Maria. 

The photos taken at that Mass back in 2009.

Mass is at 7.30pm on Tuesday 2nd February.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25789986@N04/albums/72157629101141709/with/6790331567/

One thought on “A History of Candlemas at St Mary Magdalen’s

  1. sppchoir says:

    I am encouraged to see how your choir has grown despite the challenges you may have faced in the infancy of getting the group together. May the Holy Angels continue to inspire you with their song, in praise of the Holy Trinity, at the Holy Sacrifice 🙂

Leave a comment